Tastier than birds-nest soup, Lonely Planet's Beijing will have you shopping like an emperor, feasting on Imperial cuisine and scaling the dizzying heights of the Great Wall. And that's just the weekend !

- navigate : 19 maps, including a map of the Forbidden City

- getting around : ride our easy-to-follow bike tour and wander historic hutong

- live it up : gallery-hop or dance till dawn

- rest well : accommodation options to suit any budget

- communicate : Chinese script and Pinyin throughout